¶ … evidence-based quality of behavior intervention plans (BIPs) and student outcomes under natural educational conditions," (p. 4). The five components of the research question are all related to the purpose of the study, about the relationship between BIPs and real-world outcomes for students. The high level of specificity makes the research question relevant, and it also relates to the theoretical viewpoints expressed throughout the introduction. Although it is clumsily worded and a bit too verbose, the five-part research question statement does effectively tell the reader how the hypotheses will inform research design. The research questions also emphasize evidence-based practice. Sampling Technique

Participants were culled from the State of California and involved in the Positive Environments Network of Trainers (PENT), or identified by a PENT member. This does significantly narrow down and restrict the sampling technique, as there are several other organizations through which the researchers might have recruited samples. However, the authors clarify the reasoning for using PENT only: that is, the members tend to be primary implementers of the BIPs, or at least coimplementers. For the purposes of this research, therefore, PENT was an acceptable choice.

There is also state specificity in the research, making it appropriate to...

If this research were to be replicated in another state, different organizations would be used and different sampling criteria based on the type of special education programs and methods of implementation.
A total of 200 PENT members were requested to participate, but only 99 could participate to recruit the primary implementers. In the end, 139 PENT members and 99 primary implementers participated. The students for which the BIPs were written had a variety of special education designations including emotional disturbance, specific learning disability, and autism spectrum. The sample size was relatively small, but remains a decent starting point for the research.

Instruments

One of the instruments were in fact linked directly to the independent variables, the BIPs. To use this instrument, a pre-designed Behavior Support Plan-Quality Evaluation Scoring Guide was used, as it has been substantiated in previous research. Because the scoring guide has been used in previous research, the tool can be considered reliable as well as valid. Conclusions of the study are linked to instrument validity. Furthermore, a BIP survey was implemented in this study. It is a web-based survey constructed specifically for the purposes of this research. This survey had a total of ten items, and a Likert scale was used…